Vrnjačka Banja in winter: what to do

In winter most of the time in Vrnjačka Banja goes to the thermal pools, with water up to 36 °C, and from mid-January to the snow on Goč, 20 minutes away. Over the holidays there is a free New Year’s Eve on Trg kulture, and on 14 February Valentine’s Day on the Bridge of Love. Below are the weather, places, prices and what is closed in winter, checked on 19 October 2026.

What the weather is like

• December: on average −1 to 5 °C.
• January: the coldest month, on average −4 to 3 °C.
• February: on average −2 to 5 °C.

Days are short: in December there are about nine hours of daylight, so plan walks and trips for the morning and early afternoon. Snow in the spa does not fall every winter alike. For skiing Goč is more reliable, but there too it depends on the winter.

Thermal pools

The pools are the main reason to come in winter. The warmest water is at Vrnjačke Terme, 32 to 36 °C, in five indoor pools. A day ticket is 1,200 dinars on weekdays and 1,500 at weekends. Hotel Tonanti has an outdoor thermal mineral pool up to 36 °C that stays open in winter, so even in January you can sit in warm water under the open sky. A ticket for non-residents is 4,000 dinars, Monday to Thursday only.

The cheapest day ticket is at the Waterfall aqua centre, 1,000 dinars. All the pools, with prices, times and rules for children, are in indoor pools in Vrnjačka Banja.

Skiing on Goč

Goč is 15 kilometres and 20 minutes’ drive from the spa. The season usually runs from mid-January to the end of February, but depends on snow. The runs are short and quiet, and there is a ski school on the “Mali princ” run, so Goč suits beginners and children. In January 2025 a day pass on that run was 1,500 dinars. Prices for 2026/27 are not out yet.

When there is snow on the road, winter tyres are compulsory and you should carry chains. Runs, transport and where to eat are in skiing on Goč.

The holidays: New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day

New Year’s Eve is on Trg kulture and entry is free. The holiday programme “Vrnjačka novogodišnja bajka”, with concerts and lights, runs until the Orthodox New Year. We add this season’s programme as soon as the organisers publish it.

Book accommodation for New Year early. For the 2023/24 season the tourist organisation said that New Year packages were almost sold out two months ahead.

On Valentine’s Day, 14 February, people gather on the Bridge of Love, the place the spa is known for.

When it is cold or raining

• Zamak kulture: General Belimarković’s 19th-century castle, now the local museum. More on the Zamak kulture page.
• The Ferris wheel: closed, air-conditioned cabins, so it runs in winter too. More on the Ferris wheel page.
• The “Životinjsko carstvo” play centre at Vrnjci Zoo, 4 km from the spa: indoors, over 650 m², open from 09:00 to 21:00.
• Spa centres with pools and saunas: Rimski izvor at Merkur, Pegaz and Tonanti.

What is closed in winter

• Aqua park Raj is open only from June to September.
• The outdoor pools at Vrnjačke Terme open only in summer. The indoor ones stay open.
• The tourist train runs only in the warm season.
• The Vrnjački Carnival and the other big festivals are in summer, in July and August.

Tips for a winter stay

• Before booking, ask the host how the apartment is heated and whether parking is covered.
• If you come by car, bring winter equipment. Parking in the centre is paid by zone; details are in parking in Vrnjačka Banja.
• When Goč has no snow, spend the day at the pools or walking in the park. The spa has plenty to offer without skiing.

Places to stay with prices are on accommodation in Vrnjačka Banja, and ideas for families in Vrnjačka Banja with children.